Portable writing desk



c. L. LEONARD. PORTABLE WRITING DESK. APPUCATIION FILED AUG-l7, I920.

1,413,745. v I Patented Apr, 25,1922

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gmznto p 0. LLEO/V/Y/m' alike 2mg C; L. LEONARD.

PORTABLE WRITING DESK. APPLICATION FILED AUG-1'7. I920.

Patented Apr. 25, 1922.

2 $HEETSSHEET 2 C. L.L0/V/IRD CASWELL 1.. LEONARD, or comivrn, mississirrn PORTABLE WRITING DESK.

Specification ofLctters Patent. Patgnted A pr. 25, 1922 Applicationfiled August 17, 1920. Serial no. 404,183.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I. CAswiiLi. LEE LEON- ARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Corinth, in the county of Alcorn and State of Mississippi,;have'invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable lVriting Desks, of which the. following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing. 7

The present invention relates to a portable writing desk, and the primary object of the invention is the provision of a novel and improved writing desk which can be readily applied to a chair for convenience in writing at any convenient or desired position 111 or outdoors for the benefit and comfort of the user.

Another object is the provision of novel means for mounting the desk from the chair for purpose of adjustment and the ready re-' moval and replacement of the desk. An-' other object is to construct the sup-porting means so that it can be folded against the body or boX of the writing desk for storing or transporting the desk within small eiicompass. J I

A still further object is the provision of novel closure means for the body or box of the desk, which can be opened up and positioned to'provide an arm rest and extended writing surface.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be apparent as the descrip tion proceeds, the invention resides in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from thespirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accoins panying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the writing desk asapplied to a chair. I f

Fig. 2 is a bottom view on an enlarged scale, showing the parts folded together."

Fig. 3 isan enlarged section on" the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 showing the clamp and bearing of the supporting means.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the desk in open position for use, the supporting means not being shown.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical section of the desk showing the topthereof in closed or folded position, and portions of the supporting means being broken away.

The desk comprises a body or box 6 of rectangular or other suitable shape, and of convenient size, and in order to support same from the leg 7 of a chair, preferably the forward right hand leg for a right handed person. although the device can be supported from the forward left hand legfor a left handed writer, the body 6 is supported on a 7' standard orpost 8 which is in turn supported from theleg 7 by means of a clamp 9 embracing said leg. This clamp 9 comprises the sections 10 and 11 connected by the bolts'12, whereby said clamp can be "readily applied to the chair leg, and the section 11 has a verticalbearing or sleeve 13 through which the standard 8 extends for vertical and angular adjustment about a vertical axis, whereby the desk can be posi-v tioned in the desired vertical and angular position, in which position thestandard 8.

is secured by means of a set screw 14 or other clamping means carried bythe hearing 13. After the clamp 9 is applied to the chair leg', the standard 8 can be readily inserted downwardly into the bearing 13 and then raised or lowered and turned to prop- 'erlyposition the bodyor boX 6, and'the set screw 14 can then be tightened. By loosen- 'ing the set screw, the standard 8 can be withdrawn from the bearing 13 to remove the desk from the chair, and it can be readily reapplied to the chair, or the clamp can be applied to another chair with which it is desired'to use the desk, I

The body 6 and standard Sare connected together so as to-fold into a small space for convenience in storing or transporting the device. i

Thejbody .6 ed] y connected, to foldtogether, and, for this purpose, the standard 8 has a horizontal hinge portion 15IeX te'nding at an angle from its upperend, and arranged to turn in bear ings 16 secured to-tliebo,ttoni of the body 6 transversely thereof. An inclined brace 17 connects the standard 8 and oppositeend of the portion 15,,to brace: the body 6 trans versely thereof when supported from the standard in a horizontal position.

In order to support the body 6 in a substantially horizontal position, a second brace 18 is loosely connected to the bottom of the and standard 8 are thus'hingf body at a point spaced longitudinally from the hinge connection between the standard and body, the upper end of the brace .18 having an eye 19 engaging an eye 20 carried by the bottom of the body, and the lower free end of the brace having a notched portion 21 to engage over the brace 17 in the crotch between said brace 17 and standard 8. Thus, when the body is swung to a substantially horizontal position, the brace 18 can be engaged with the brace 17, to support said body in place, and in folding the device, the brace 18 can be readily swung against the body 6 with the standard 8, as seen in Fig. 5.

The body or box 6 has a main compartment 22 for holding writing paper, envelopes, and the like, and the forward end portion of the body has compartments 23 holding. a bottle of ink, pens, pencils, etc.

Said compartments are closed by a top or leaf 24 which is of a size to cover-the body and conceal the material in said compartments. The top or leaf 24 also provides an arm rest and extended writing surface,.when said leaf is opened and, to accomplish said result, a shorter leaf 2'T is slidable in the body over the compartment 22, and the rear ends of the leaves'are hingedly connected, as at 25.

grooves 29 in. the side walls of the body near the upper edges thereof, and the leaf 27 is shorter than the compartment 22 to be 1novable longitudinally thereover. lVhen. the leaf 2? is slidrearwardly in the body to bring its rear end substantially flush with the rear end of the body, the leaf 24 can be swung forwardly and downwardly to cover the compartments, as seen in Fig. 5. Then the leaf .24 is swung upwardly, rearwardly and downwardly, into the plane of the leaf 27 substantially flush therewith, the leaves can be slid forwardly in the body, whereby the hinged end portion of-the leaf 2% is moved into the slots 29 and the leaf 27 brought against the forward end of the compartment 22, thereby providing an extended writing surface and the leaf2d projecting beyond the rear end of the body will provide an arm rest for convenience in writing. Said leaf'24c is firmly supported when slid into the slots, and by withdrawing said leaf from the slots, it can be again swung to closed position. The compartment 22 can be opened by sliding the leaves rearwardly.

In order to lock the leaf 24. in closed or folded. position, a keeper 30 extends upwardly from the forward end of the body to enter a recess 31 in the forward end portion,v

of the leaf 24:, when said leaf is swung downwardly. over the compartments, thereby pre- The side edges of the leaves have tongues 28 to. fit slidably in longitudinal venting the leaves from sliding longitudinally, and a lock is mortised in the leaf 2%, as shown, to be operated by a key and its bolt 3-1 can be projected through the aperture or slot of the keeper 30, thereby preventing the leaf 24; from being swung upwardly or open Without the aid of a proper ke l laving thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 2- 1. A writing desk comprising a body, a leaf slidable in the body, the body having portions slidably receiving the edgesof said. leaf, and: a second leaf longer than. and hinged to, the firstnamed leaf to swing. over the body to .cover it and to. swing substantially flush with the firstnamed leaf, the side edges of the second leaf being formed to move. into engagement with said portions of. the body, when the second leaf isswung flush with the first-named leaf, to maintainthe leavesflush, so that the second leaf forms anextended Writingsurface and armrest;

2. A writing desk comprisin g a body having arcompartment and groovesat theup-per edges thereof, a leaf having its side edges slidable in said grooves over said compartment, a .second leaf longer than and hinged to the aforesaid leaf to swingoversaid compartment for closing the body and to swing. substantially flush. with the aforesaid leaf, theside edges of: the second leaf being, movable into said grooveswhenthe leaves are substantially flush, so that-the second leafv forms an extended writing surface'and arm rest, and means for securing the secondleaf to-the body when swung. over said compart: ment. v

3. A writing desk comprising abody, a leaf slidable in said body, a secondleaf longer than and hinged to said'leaf to swing over the body and to swing:- substantially flush with the aforesaid leaf and slide into engagement with the body to for1nanextended writing surface and arm rest; a keeper carried by. the body over which the second leaf. is ei'igageable when swung over the body and preventing sliding movement of the leaves, and a lock for preventing the second leaf from being swung, upwardly from the body when engaged with said keeper.

In testimony whereof I hereunto, afiix my signature.

OASWELLL. LEONARD. 

